The evolution of social media in Public Relations

We are all very much big fans of social media here at JournoLink even though it has been a while
since we discussed the subject on our blog. It is important to sometimes
reflect back on how much social media truly has helped changed our world and as
such the world of Public Relations.

Press Releases

Creating a press release is very much the essence of public
relations, created more than a 100 years ago now, it has since had amendments
to adapt to modern times. The rise of the internet has seen the press release
incorporate more features to it to make it more innovative such as integrating
links to support images and audio. We’ve also seen the creation of specific
social media press releases that connects online media to social networks. One
thing is for certain, we are still using the same press release template from
the beginning and the question is now how can we use the social media evolution
to distribute it? PR professionals are immersing themselves with the different
channels that are out there for example sending clients to a custom landing
page or by using Twitter. Looking to the future and the evolution of social
media it is expected there will be an increase in specific types of press releases
such as; shorter and more concise press releases and those that use video
formats.

If we think about it, press releases thrive on social media,
the ability to share and interact with them has increased their exposure and
transformed in a positive way.

Communication

Due to the social media evolution it has become a whole lot easier to keep
informed and connected with those important to you, keeping the essence of
forming relationships at the heart of PR. Twitter has really helped to bridge
the gap between consumers and businesses, journalists and a business and the
brand and its clients. Never before have people been closer. With more people
having a ‘voice’ on social media sites it means that businesses are more
engaging and are able to respond quicker to issues customers may have. Clients
appreciate this ‘real-time’ response and create a stronger trust in a company
or brand. The evolution of social media in the terms of communication isn’t
just between a brand and its consumers but between PR professionals as well.
Twitter, LinkedIn and so on are helping PR professionals share their own knowledge,
which really helps anyone who is seeking advice on a particular subject.
Without the evolution of social media we wouldn’t have hashtags such as #PRTips
constantly circulating our Twitter accounts containing such great advice!

With all this in mind, we must feel grateful for the
evolution of social media, as it has really worked out in our favour. It is
certainly an advancement that will continue to grow, so we should all make the
most of it and look forward to what’s to come next.

Written By: Claire Eggleshaw Redoutet, Marketing Intern

Claire is our blog and enewsletter editor, she fundamentally helps us maintain the more social media aspect of JournoLink. As a new member of the team, she hopes to gain experience whilst also helping us connect to the wider public.